A tale of two practitioners : exploring the Indonesian model of decentralization and development, post- Suharto

Abstract

Indonesia underwent rapid decentralization, referred to as the “Big Bang”, at the turn of this century. This study examines the causes and developmental impacts of this process. For this study, research was conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia. The research’s aim was to examine the effects of the forced political decision to decentralize power from the national government to the district level, and its effects on development. This research was conducted by primary source interviews with development and government actors in Indonesia. Interviews were conducted in Indonesia in January, 2012 with Canadian government officials as well as with development practitioners currently working within Indonesia.